Ballymena Times (Ballymena, Northern Ireland) back issues from June 2008:
Royal guest list found lacking by ratepayer.
Jun 02, 2008 ... Sir - In this era of transparency and open government (which I take to include local government), would it be possible for you, sir, to publish a list of the guests who were invited to attend the recent official opening of the Braid Arts Centre? As a ratepayer I would also like ...
Murdered girls' parents seek an apology over killer's prison interview.(Television program review)
Jun 02, 2008 ... THE parents of a Ballymena girl who suffered a barbaric death almost seven years ago have spoken of their "untold distress" over a behind-bars interview with beast who killed their daughter. Heartbroken Ballymena couple William and Eilish Tennant have hit out at Northern Ireland ...
VIDEO: Bravery of Ballymena's 'VC Three' Set In Stone.
Jun 02, 2008 ... A LASTING tribute to the outstanding valour displayed by three men in far flung battle fields more than a century ago has been unveiled at Ballymena's Memorial Gardens. The plaque, sitting on a granite plinth in keeping with the stonework of the existing War Memorial and ...
Dan returns from 'island of karate'.
Jun 02, 2008 ... LOCAL martial arts coach Dan Redmond has returned from a visit to Okinawa, the hme of karate. Having previously made his first visit there two years ago, this time he stayed on the island for two weeks. Dan trained at the dojo of Master Tetsuhiro Hokama in the small ...
Walker steps up striker search as clearout begins.
Jun 02, 2008 ... ROY Walker will step up his search for new strikers after putting three of Ballymena United's current frontmen on the transfer list. Davitt Walsh, Darren Fitzgerald and Michael Ward have been made available to other clubs, along with goalkeeper Paul Murphy and defender Simon ...
Shay takes top role at United Youth Academy.
Jun 02, 2008 ... SHAY Hamill is back in football - with a key role in Ballymena United's Youth Academy. The former United assistant manager and Chimney Corner boss has been appointed as Director of the acclaimed Academy. Hamill has been out of football since stepping down as Corner ...
Kells resident blasts vandals.
Jun 03, 2008 ... A resident of the village of Kells has expressed fears over the rising levels of vandalism in the locality. Read his letter here ... SIR - There is rising concern in Kells over the rise in crime and vandalism. There have been numerous thefts recently. The Northern ...
O'Loan praises Clough pellet scheme.
Jun 03, 2008 ... NORTH Antrim SDLP MLA Declan O'Loan has described as 'hugely impressive' a new wood pellet boiler scheme in Housing Executive homes at Clough. Having visited one of two homes in the village which have recently been converted to run on wood pellet boilers and solar panels by the ...
'Staggering' misuse of 999 system in Ballymena.
Jun 03, 2008 ... THE scale of misuse affecting the '999' emergency telephone number has been described as "staggering" by the PSNI's Area Commander, Chief Inspector Barbara Gray. Figures from police in H District, which includes Ballymena, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Moyle and Larne, show that from ...
Dorothy is named NI's Wondermum.
Jun 03, 2008 ... A Ballymena woman has won the title Northern Ireland Wondermum at a gala event held in London on Friday night. Dorothy Bonnes had been shortlisted for the nationwide award run by The Sun newspaper. The Ballykeel mother enjoyed three days all expenses paid with five ...
O'Loan elected Ballymena Deputy Mayor.
Jun 03, 2008 ... AN unlikely alliance of UUCP and Sinn Fein councillors joined together in a chorus of disapproval at the election of SDLP Councillor Declan O'Loan to the position of Deputy Mayor of Ballymena last night. Read more ... DUP Councillor Maurice Mills was relected to the ...
Council tops NI 'debt per head' table.
Jun 03, 2008 ... BALLYMENA Borough Council has topped a Province-wide league table for average debt per head of population. Read more ... Figures released for 2006/2007 revealed that Ballymena Council had capital loans totalling [pounds sterling]34,025,917, equating to a figure of ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Ballymena Show 2008.
Jun 03, 2008 ... BALLYMENA certainly was the centre of attention at the weekend as the town's annual agricultural show attracted a large number of visitors and exhibitors to the showgrounds. View pictures here ... Few clouds were visible in the sky as temperatures soared above 24 ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Kells and Connor PS Sports Day.
Jun 03, 2008 ... THE pupils of Kells and Connor Primary Schoool laced up their running shoes for their annual Sports Day last week. View pictures here ... Ballymena Times was on hand to capture the ...
WIN places on Rangers roadshow in Ballymena.
Jun 03, 2008 ... FANCY your chances of being the new Steven Davis? If so, the Ballymena Times and Glasgow Rangers have teamed up to offer two Rangers-mad youngsters the opportunity to attend the Glasgow club's footballing roadshow in Ballymena this summer. The two day roadshow will ...
United capture striker Teggart.
Jun 03, 2008 ... BALLYMENA United tonight unveiled striker Neil Teggart as the first signing of the Roy Walker era. The former Sunderland apprentice has joined on a one-year contract and is looking forward to making up for lost time, having spent the last six months on the sidelines. ...
Ballymena PSNI officers praised at reception.
Jun 04, 2008 ... AN official thank-you for devotion to duty was extended to serving police officers in the borough by the Mayor of Ballymena and the District's Policing Partnership (DPP). The new Mayor's Parlour at the Braid was the venue for the ceremony at which awards were presented to those ...
Garryowen LOL warrant issued.
Jun 04, 2008 ... A new Orange Lodge will be on parade in Ballymena at this year's Twelfth demonstration. Garryowen LOL 221 were presented with their warrant at a ceremony in Crumkill Orange Hall last week. Formed from a core of ex-servicemen with backgrounds in the Royal Irish ...
Pride of the Maine annual parade.
Jun 04, 2008 ... THE Pride of the Maine Flute Band will hold their 34th Annual Parade in Ballymena on Saturday evening. The parade will commence from Castle Street and proceed along its traditional route ...
Martin scoops Skillbuild Award.
Jun 04, 2008 ... Ballymena apprentice Martin Davey received a top award at the annual Skillbuild NI Competition held at CITB last week. Martin, who works for Chilltec Refrigeration, was delighted to win the Gold Medal in the Refrigeration category of Skillbuild NI. 18 year old Martin ...
Future letter clinches prize for Slemish pupil.
Jun 04, 2008 ... A pupil from Slemish College, Ballymena, has clinched a major award for his 'vision of the future' letter. David Gilkinson, from Slemish Integrated College, Ballymena and Rhiannon Finn, from Corran Integrated Primary School, Larne, who won first prizes respectively in the post ...
VIDEO: Debbie Abrahams in Cullybackey.
Jun 05, 2008 ... THE world's top knitting and crochet designers are flocking to The Glen Gallery in Cullybackey, Co Antrim, to ...
Wright's clinch Dublin Bus order.
Jun 06, 2008 ... BALLYMENA firm Wrightbus have won a major contract with southern bus provider, Dublin Bus. The 11 million euro deal ensures the successful County Antrim company will construct 50 new vehicles during the fleet replacement programme, which will commence in November. ...
Golfer Chris relishes US Open test.
Jun 06, 2008 ... BALLYMENA golfer Chris Devlin is preparing to tee off for the biggest challenge of his career when he takes part in next weekend's US Open championship. Devlin (33), who is now a professional based in Birmingham, Alabama, after honing his skills at Raceview as a youth, will rub ...
New rugby role for Humphreys.
Jun 06, 2008 ... Ulster Rugby today announced that David Humphreys, recently retired from professional rugby, has been appointed to the role of Operations Director at the club. The 72 times Ireland capped out-half, who retired from playing rugby with an emotional and farewell appearance for ...
Television set used in Ballymena murder.
Jun 09, 2008 ... A 25-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man with a television set in Ballymena in September 2006. Ryan Patrick Martin McLaughlin from Fairviews Gardens in Dromore, County Tyrone, pleaded guilty to murder at Antrim Crown Court. McLaughlin killed ...
Royal Irish TA back Sam fund - from Afghanistan!
Jun 09, 2008 ... IT'S hard to imagine a tougher job than being stationed with the Army in war-torn Afghanistan or that any situation in life could compare with the pressures and trauma that soldiers serving there have to face, day in, day out. The men and women serving in that harsh and ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Ballymena United Youth Academy prize nights.
Jun 09, 2008 ... BALLYMENA United Youth Academy held its annual awards nights last week. On Tuesday night almost 350 boys, girls, parents and friends attended the Tesco sponsored Ballymena United Youth Academy Awards in the Des Allen Suite at the Showgrounds. Joan Hayes and Agnes ...
Residents plan to 'block' apartments.
Jun 10, 2008 ... BALLYMONEY Road residents have vowed to continue their fight against a proposed development of houses and apartments. The Residents' Association, which has over 300 members, say they will use "people power" to thwart the development, which, it went ahead, would see five houses ...
Recycling gathers speed in Ballymena.
Jun 10, 2008 ... WEEKLY collections of red Bryson Recycling 'Kerbie' boxes instead of fortnightly has significantly increased Ballymena recycling levels and reduced the amount of household waste going to landfill. The new service, which effectively doubled the opportunity for residents to ...
Broughshane and Harryville net lottery windfall.
Jun 10, 2008 ... GRASSROOTS organisations in Ballymena have receievd received a windfall from the Big Lottery Fund to transform local spaces for local people. The largest of the National Lottery Good Cause Distributors is awarding grants totalling [pounds sterling]18,460 to two projects in ...
Parade band drum had K.A.T initials - McKay.
Jun 10, 2008 ... NORTH Antrim MLA Daithi McKay has said that the community in the north end of Ballymena are disgusted at the organisers of the Pride of the Maine parade in Ballymena on Saturday night. The Sinn Fein Assemblyman said the parade included references to the murder of Catholics. He ...
Get on the list, SDLP urges Dunclug.
Jun 10, 2008 ... SDLP Councillors, Declan O'Loan and P J McAvoy are urging Dunclug residents to make sure they get on the Electoral Register during the current mini canvass of the ward. The Electoral Office is carrying out the canvass of Dunclug until June 27 to test ...
O'Loan backs poultry waste power plant.
Jun 10, 2008 ... THE PLAN to establish a plant to derive an alternative energy source from poultry waste is being supported by North Antrim SDLP MLA Declan O'Loan. Speaking as an adjournment debate on the proposal took place in the Assembly, Mr O'Loan said he had heard a detailed presentation on ...
Dublin Bus Firm announce contract for 50 coaches from Wrightbus.
Jun 10, 2008 ... THE GALGORM based Wright Group has won a contract from Dublin Bus for 50 replacement buses in an order worth 11 million euro. Funded with the help of the Government's Transport 21 Investment Programme, the contract is part of Dublin Bus' continuing fleet replacement programme ...
GALLERY: Mid-Antrim Somme members remember Great War hero.
Jun 10, 2008 ... THE actions of a little known World War One hero have been remembered by members of the Mid-Antrim Branch of the Friends of the Somme Association. A large party of members travelled to the North Antrim village of Derrykeighan to lay wreaths at the gravestone of Pte. John Meeke - ...
PICTURE GALLERY: People's Park Fun Day.
Jun 10, 2008 ... MORE than 400 primary school pupils from the Ballymena and Antrim area put their best foot forward when they took part in a one mile sponsored walk, to raise much needed funds a local children's charity, during a Fun Day in the People's Park on Friday. View pictures here ...
Open Day at Moorfields New School.
Jun 10, 2008 ... Moorfields Primary School is moving - but just next door. The Larne Road school which has served the local community since 1937 is moving into a new purpose built school building and the staff and pupils are delighted. 'Many of us have very fond memories of the old ...
Shane's Castle to host magnificent medieval event.
Jun 10, 2008 ... IRELAND'S leading game fair, the Irish Country Lifestyle and Medieval Festival, has once again chosen Shane's Castle, Antrim, as its perfect Ulster venue and is expected to draw crowds of over 30,000 to the region over Midsummer weekend, June 21 and 22. The breathtaking Shane's ...
Kara's Dancers celebrate trophy wins.
Jun 10, 2008 ... The Ballymena based Kara McCartney Dancers have enjoyed a successful festival ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Galgorm Castle Golf Club charity day.
Jun 10, 2008 ... GALGORM Castle Golf Club held a Charity Day recently with all the proceeds going to The Friends of the Belfast City Hospital. And what a day it turned out to be with the weather playing its part - blue skies all day, course in good condition and the largest turnout of members to ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Saturday Morning League dinner.
Jun 10, 2008 ... IT sums up perfectly why the Ballymena Saturday Morning league is such a success story? Rather than rest on their laurels after another hugely successful season and annual dinner, the league's hard-working officials have already begun preparations for the biggest night in the ...
New faces at Eaton Park.
Jun 10, 2008 ... IT may be the close-season, but Ballymena Rugby Club head coach Jacques Benade has been busily preparing for next season. The South African (pictured) recruited a string of new players ahead of the deadline at the start of this month, including David Bradford a wing-forward from ...
Ballymena man Chris takes on golfing greats in US Open.
Jun 10, 2008 ... CHRIS Devlin is relishing the task of teeing off in the company of some of the world's greatest golfers this weekend. The Ballymena-born golfer, who is now a professional based in Birmingham, Alabama, battled his way through qualifying to book his place in the star-studded ...
Ballykeel Primary rules the environmental roost.
Jun 11, 2008 ... Ballykeel Primary School has scooped the top award in a major 'green' competition. Read on .. Teachers and pupils at a Ballymena school are celebrating after taking the top title in a prestigious environmental awards scheme, which acknowledges their work in the school grounds ...
Fortnightly bin collection starts June 16.
Jun 11, 2008 ... THE roll-out of an alternate weekly collection of black landfill and brown garden waste bins will begin next week (w/c June 16) as part of Ballymena Borough Council's new waste management services. The new service will target more than 20,000 local homes and aims to ...
Royal Irish on their bikes from Afghanistan to Ballymena.
Jun 11, 2008 ... 'OUR boys' out in Afghanistan continue to prove that they take their fund raising as seriously as they do their day jobs on the frontline. Yes, the members of IMJIN Company, 2 Royal Irish, are really pulling out all the stops to aid the PleaseFixS.A.M. appeal, having read about ...
Band supporters hit back at McKay.
Jun 12, 2008 ... SUPPORTERS of Pride of the Maine Flute Band have hit back at Sinn Fein's Daithi McKay over his comments about the band's recent parade in Ballymena. One supporter e-mailed the Times: "Nowhere on the drum or banner of this band or any other band that took place in this parade to ...
Hull City not for Ballymena.
Jun 12, 2008 ... Premier League new boys Hull City will NOT be coming to Ballymena United for a pre-season friendly. The ...
Ballymena people on honours list.
Jun 14, 2008 ... Ballymena journalist Maurice O'Neill is among a number of locals to receive honours from the Queen. For full list read on .. ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE COMMANDERS OF THE CIVIL DIVISION OF THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE) Ms Mary BLACK ...
Galgorm event will aid Best foundation.
Jun 14, 2008 ... GALGORM Castle Golf Club will host the first ever George Best Celebrity Golf Invitational on Sunday, July 6. The event, in aid of the George Best Foundation, will involve 30 celebrities including Mike England, Willie Thorne, Robert Powell, Gary Webster, Coronation Street stars ...
New form of DPP meetings launch June 26.
Jun 16, 2008 ... BALLYMENA will host the first H-District-wide Public District Policing Partnership meeting later this month. The Braid Town Hall and Museum complex will be the venue on Thursday, June 26, at 8pm for the forum on which will be attended by the PSNI Commander for H-District, Chief ...
Axe hangs over Kilpatrick House.
Jun 16, 2008 ... A proposal to move around 70 HMRC jobs from the Kilpatrick House office in Ballymena to other locations in the Province has been met with dismay and anger from staff. Read more ... In a review statement released on the HMRC website last week, it was stated: "The proposal is to ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Dunclug and Diamond Primary Sports Days.
Jun 16, 2008 ... PUPILS of Dunclug and Diamond Primary Schools held their annual sports day last week. View pictures here ... To ...
Best Kept award for Ballykeel PS.
Jun 17, 2008 ... TEACHERS and pupils at a Ballymena school are celebrating after scooping the top title in a prestigious environmental awards scheme, which acknowledges their work in the school grounds and outside in the wider community. Ballykeel Primary School has been named the overall winner ...
Hymns in the Park.
Jun 17, 2008 ... BALLYMENA Silver Band, assisted by the Salvation Army, will be playing a popular selection of hymns and sacred music in the People's Park on Sunday, June 22. This year the event takes place from 3-4pm outside the Park Pavillion. It will be the fifth year ...
Ballymena Lottery Award - VOTE here.
Jun 17, 2008 ... BALLYMENA Community Sports Programme has reached the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards 2008 and will now battle it out against other Lottery-funded projects from across the UK for the chance to win [pounds sterling]2,000 to spend on their project plus the opportunity to star in a ...
Bastion Bikers - the story so far.
Jun 17, 2008 ... Ballymena man Sgt. Gary Wilkins is keeping us informed of the progress made by the lads of Imjin Platoon in their marathon fund-raiser for the SAM fund. Read on .. Gary writes:- "After 5 days hard slogging we have managed to knock off just over 700 Km from our ...
'Boy racers' plague car park.
Jun 17, 2008 ... POLICE in Ballymena have promised to put the brakes on boy-racers, who are using a car park near the leisure centre and cinema on the Larne Road to show-off their souped-up vehicles. Increasingly, the car park has resembled a racing car pit on evenings and weekends with dozens ...
Brave Lisa's Relay for Life.
Jun 17, 2008 ... RELAY for Life', an annual event to raise funds for Cancer Research NI, was held for the first time, last year, in Ballymena with great success, raising a staggering [pounds sterling]28,000 for the charity. Read more ... Its success was due in no small way to the ...
Help police solve crimes.
Jun 17, 2008 ... It's been a busy week for police in Ballymena area. They need your help with the following crimes .. read on. HOUSE BURGLARY, BALLYMENA. A house at Beechwood Avenue in Ballymena has been broken into. It is not yet known if anything was taken during the break-in, which ...
PICTURE GALLERY: 'Fair' play for Clough and Dunclug Primary Schools.
Jun 17, 2008 ... Clough and Dunclug Primary School held summer fairs recently. Ballymena Times was on hand to capture the smiling faces ... ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Prize time for swimmers.
Jun 17, 2008 ... BALLYMENA swimmers finished off a successful season by securing silver medals in the Belfast Telegraph Teletots League play off. Portadown, Dungannon and Ballymena travelled to Cookstown to compete for promotion to Division 2. Portadown deservedly won the event but were pushed ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Randalstown 10k event.
Jun 17, 2008 ... THE 2008 Randalstown Super Valu 10k Road Race and 3k Fun Run was a tremendous success with numbers up significantly from 2007 for both the 10k and the 3k. The organisers, Randalstown Running Club had over 170 entries for the 10k and more than 120 entries for the 3k run. ...
PICTURE GALLERY: Ballymena and Provincial Intermediate League dinner.
Jun 17, 2008 ... JUNIOR and intermediate football in Northern Ireland is facing a refereeing crisis, a leading administrator has warned. Billy McIlroy, secretary of the Ballymena and Provincial Intermediate League, painted a bleak picture on all matches within the league's three divisions having ...